Author: Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia opens in Muscat

Emil Lazarian
The Times of Oman, Sultanate of Oman
Mar 18 2026

Muscat: A ceremony was held on Wednesday to celebrate the opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Muscat.

The event was held under the auspices of Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, and in the presence of Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister.

The opening of the Armenian Embassy comes within the framework of the growing relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. It reflects the two countries shared keenness to advance the horizons of cooperation and partnership across various fields, in a manner that serves mutual interests and supports opportunities for investment, trade, and cultural exchange.

During the ceremony, Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia delivered a speech in which he expressed his pride over the opening of his country’s embassy in the Sultanate of Oman. He emphasised that this step reflects the strength of bilateral relations and the shared desire to develop them, enhancing areas of cooperation to serve mutual interests.

On his turn, Vahan Kostanyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the joint relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Armenia are dynamic and growing, noting that Oman was among the first Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia.

He confirmed that bilateral relations between the two countries have witnessed continuous growth over the past two years, culminating in the decision to open an embassy for Armenia in Oman. Additionally, the foreign ministries of both countries hold continuous political consultations.

The Armenian official highlighted the importance of the economic pillar in joint cooperation for the upcoming period, emphasising several key sectors such as transport, advanced technology, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud services and mutual investments.

The Deputy Minister expressed his aspiration to receive delegations from the Sultanate of Oman in Armenia to exchange visions and ideas.

He also stressed the importance of organising joint events, holding bilateral meetings between private sector companies from both nations, and providing facilities that will further contribute to strengthening economic ties.

The embassy’s opening was attended by several ambassadors of Arab and friendly countries accredited to the Sultanate of Oman, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, state officials, private sector representatives, and members of the Armenian expatriate community residing in Oman.

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Disinformation ahead of Armenia’s elections: new claims exposed

Emil Lazarian
JAM news
Mar 18 2026

  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

As Armenia approaches parliamentary elections, disinformation campaigns targeting the public have intensified. The press secretary of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan regularly issues warnings about new false claims and publishes rebuttals. Most recently, Nazeli Baghdasaryan reported another fake publication. It alleged that the Armenian prime minister and several officials were involved in trafficking and the sale of organs.

Baghdasaryan rejected the claims and said they had no basis in fact. “I consider it necessary to clearly state that this publication is disinformation and should be regarded as another manifestation of hybrid information actions,” she said.

The fact-checking platform of Armenian outlet CivilNet examined the methods used in these disinformation campaigns. Journalists found that false claims capable of influencing voters ahead of the elections first spread on social media. Anonymous users often post them. In other cases, accounts that had remained inactive for long periods begin sharing them again. Russian-language Telegram channels also take part in these campaigns. They circulate fake front pages of well-known French publications.

More details follow on what is happening, the types of disinformation involved, and how it spreads across social media and the media landscape.

  • ‘Russia trying to send tens of thousands of voters to Armenia’s elections’: debate in Yerevan
  • Armenian parliament vice-speaker urges voters to ‘burn bridges with oligarchs’
  • ‘Opposition aims to take power by forming post-election coalition’ – Armenian parliament vice-speaker

‘An attempt to create a shocking information backdrop‘

Commenting on allegations of “trafficking and organ sales” against the prime minister, published on the website VT Foreign Policy, Pashinyan’s press secretary said those behind the claims deliberately choose highly sensitive topics. Such issues inevitably affect public emotions. In this case, the claims touched on healthcare, organ transplantation and trafficking.

She described it as an attempt to create a “shocking and discrediting information backdrop”.

“Such a methodology is one of the common tools of information manipulation. It uses topics to which society is especially sensitive in order to undermine trust in state institutions and their leaders,” she said.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan also noted how the material spread. It first appeared on social media. Azerbaijani media outlets then picked it up. After that, “certain political circles” in Armenia amplified it further. She stressed that this sequence reflects a typical pattern for the spread of fake news in the regional information space.

CivilNet debunks fake ‘Macron–Pashinyan deal‘

On 11 March, the Telegram channel “Odessa Za Pobedu!” shared a post during Pashinyan’s visit to France. The post claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron was urging Nikol Pashinyan to confront Russia.

“Macron guarantees Pashinyan support after the elections if he starts a war with Russia.”

To make the claim look credible, the post included images of what it presented as the front pages of French newspapers Libération, Le Parisien, and the French Jewish community outlet ActuJ.

Another Telegram channel also cited Libération. It claimed the paper reported that Pashinyan was seeking a deal with Macron to “provoke a conflict with Russia”.

CivilNet reviewed the publications and found that all the attached images were fake.

The actual front pages of the newspapers on those dates showed different stories and photographs.

“Libération’s front page on 10 March featured US President Donald Trump. Le Parisien’s front page focused on rising fuel prices. ActuJ is a weekly paper, and the issues closest to that date, 4 and 11 March, also had completely different front pages from those shown in the fake material,” CivilNet journalists said.

In one video circulating on X, the authors claim that under a supposed “secret Macron–Pashinyan deal”, Armenian political consultants travelled to France to learn vote manipulation techniques and apply them in the upcoming elections in Armenia.

“The video uses the logo of the US-based fact-checking organisation NewsGuard to create the impression that the information comes from a credible source,” Armenian journalists said.

They checked the claims and found that a user named Jocelyn McMorrow first shared the video on X. The account had remained inactive since 2013. It suddenly became active again on 9 March 2026.

“A sudden reactivation of an account after a long period of inactivity often suggests that it may have been repurposed or taken over for use in information campaigns,” the fact-checkers explained.

Journalists also examined disinformation related to elections in France. They found that fake stories again used logos of well-known media outlets or fabricated front pages to create an “illusion of credibility”.

“These methods resemble those used in a disinformation campaign known as ‘Matryoshka’. In that campaign, false or fabricated materials first appear on social media. Coordinated networks of accounts and channels then amplify them,” CivilNet said.


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REVIEW: “Zabel in Exile” honors Armenian writer’s voice that outlived silence

Emil Lazarian
The Daily Free Press, Boston Univ.
Apr 18 2026
By Paisley Huang

Armenia under Soviet control, 1937. A woman rises up from a prison cell surrounded by gray stone walls, only to learn she has been sentenced to death. 

“Zabel in Exile,” a play written by R.N. Sandberg and directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian, follows Armenian writer and activist Zabel Yessayan’s journey as she finds her voice amid darkness and suffering. The show ran from Feb. 19 to Mar. 8 at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre on Commonwealth Avenue. 

The plot follows Zabel as she awaits execution, from her early years fighting against an arrogant teacher to her experiences witnessing genocide. Physical confinement doesn’t stop her thoughts from reaching toward freedom or from inspiring future generations. 

Born in Constantinople, then capital of the Ottoman Empire, in 1878, Yessayan was a leading voice for women’s rights and social justice throughout her life. During World War I, Yessayan was on an Ottoman list of Armenian intellectuals to be arrested, but she escaped detection and eventually fled to Bulgaria.

In exile, Yessayan advocated for refugees, orphans and survivors of the Armenian genocide through articles and books, including “My Soul in Exile,” a novel that was published in 1922. After moving to Armenia, which was then a state within the USSR, she was arrested and imprisoned in 1937. She died in prison in unknown circumstances a few years later. 

Even those unfamiliar with Yessayan’s works, or those unable to point to Armenia on a map will find themselves drawn into this story without feeling out of place.

Sarah Corey, who played Zabel, brings striking conviction to the role by capturing both the young girl refusing to obey a teacher who mistreats poor students and the imprisoned activist defending herself against wrongful accusations. 

Growing up, Zabel always heard people telling her to be a quiet girl, but she never stayed quiet in the face of injustice. 

Encouraged by her father to stand up to oppression, Zabel learned that writing carries power. Witnessing people dying in a massacre and watching children taken away from their mothers, she started writing about the plight of Armenians, even when writing became a crime. 

As Zabel revisits her trauma from historical events and her personal life, death always haunts her. 

From time to time, Death, dressed in scarlet and black and wearing a face mask, sneaks onto the stage to sharp, unnerving drumbeats. In a frantic dance with Death, Zabel never surrenders, crying out “Light! Light!” against the dreadful darkness. 

“Zabel in Exile” delicately balances heavy historical themes and complex humanity. 

When a prison guard appears to be helping her, Zabel has to choose between doubt and trust while facing the most vulnerable parts of herself. 

Sophie, Zabel’s daughter, reveals her loneliness and fear during the years Zabel is away from home, devoting herself to activism. Together, the tensions allow the audience to see a historical figure’s complex inner world. 

Zabel’s fight inspired not only the people in her time, but her influence extends to us all in this chaotic political moment when democracy faces serious challenges.  

https://dailyfreepress.com/03/18/13/218711/review-zabel-in-exile-honors-armenian-writers-voice-that-outlived-silence/

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Armenpress: Afghanistan says 400 killed in Pakistani air strike on Kabul hospi

Emil Lazarian

World09:52, 17 March 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

At least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in an air strike by Pakistan on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Reuters reported citing a spokesman of the Afghan Taliban government.

Pakistan rejected the claim as false and misleading and said it “precisely ‌targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure” on Monday night.

“The visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots,” Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X.

The conflict that began last month is the worst ever between the neighbours who share a 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border.

The escalation comes amid wider instability in the neighbourhood where the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation have plunged ⁠the Middle East into a crisis.

The strike came hours after the U.N. Security Council called on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to immediately step up efforts to combat terrorism. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harboring militant groups, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, which it says carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

The Security Council resolution, adopted unanimously, didn’t name Pakistan but condemns “in the strongest terms all terrorist activity including terrorist attacks.” The resolution also extends the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, for three months.

Pakistan’s government accuses Afghanistan of providing safe haven to the Pakistani Taliban, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, as well as to outlawed Baloch separatist groups and other militants who frequently target Pakistani security forces and civilians across the country. Kabul denies the charge, The Associated Press reports.

On Sunday, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military has killed 684 Afghan Taliban forces, a claim rejected by Afghanistan, which says casualties are far lower. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry and other officials have said Afghanistan has killed more than 100 Pakistani soldiers.

Read the article in: Armenian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Armenian, Omani FMs sign MoU on political consultations

Emil Lazarian

Armenia20:12, 17 March 2026
Read the article in: العربيةفارسیFrançaisՀայերենRussianTürkçe中文

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Oman’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between their foreign ministries, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said.

On March 17, during an official visit to Oman, Mirzoyan met Albusaidi in Muscat.

The ministers discussed a wide range of issues related to the development of cooperation between Armenia and Oman.

Read the article in: العربيةفارسیFrançaisՀայերենRussianTürkçe中文

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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No influx of Iranian-Armenians, says Diaspora Commissioner

Emil Lazarian

Iran12:57, 17 March 2026
Read the article in: العربيةEspañolPersianFrançaisTurkish

There is no “unusual” influx of Iranian-Armenians into Armenia, High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan said on Tuesday.

At the same time, he did not provide the exact number of Iranian-Armenians who have arrived in Armenia amid the war in Iran.

“But there is no unusual flow of Iranian Armenians to Armenia compared to previous periods. As such, there is no significant movement of Iranian Armenians to Armenia,” Sinanyan said at a press briefing. 

He said that authorities are constantly trying to stay in contact with the Armenian community in Iran, and sometimes they are able to establish communication.

“People are trying to stay away from dangerous areas, remaining in their homes, and hoping that all of this will end soon,” Sinanyan noted.

According to him, there are unconfirmed reports of two lightly injured Iranian Armenians.

“There were reports about two Iranian Armenians who sustained minor injuries, but it is very difficult to verify this information,” Sinanyan said.

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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The Fourth Doing Digital Forum to be Held Under the Theme “Bridging Platforms

Emil Lazarian

High Technologies14:16, 17 March 2026
Read the article in: Armenian:

On April 8, Yerevan will host the Doing Digital Forum (DDF), the premier event for digital transformation and financial technology, for the fourth consecutive year. Under the theme “Bridging Platforms and Economies,” the forum will bring together top local and international experts, business leaders, and public sector decision-makers.

The special guest of the DDF26 is Leiming Chen, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Ant International. During the forum, Leiming Chen will share his vision for the future of the digital economy and global financial inclusion.

Keynote speeches will be delivered by Matias Undurraga, Head of AI Europe at Amazon Web Services (AWS); Dirk Ohlmeier, CEO of Just Better; Oleksandr Yablunivskyy, VP and Head of Products and Solutions at Visa CISSEE.

“Modern digital economy is no longer shaped by isolated technological solutions, but through interconnected ecosystems and platforms. In a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, new economic ties and pathways for cooperation are emerging. In this year’s agenda, we aim to showcase the opportunities arising from the formation of links between diverse economic platforms. The Doing Digital Forum connects Armenia to the global technological agenda, positioning it as an important bridge for collaboration between the region and various world economies,”said  Tatevik Simonyan, Founder of DDF.

The discussions at DDF26 will focus on four strategic pillars: the harmonious collaboration between Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents and human potential, the effective interconnection of financial capital and technological platforms, leapfrog growth through innovation and regulatory development, and the strengthening of links between global markets to integrate regional economies into the worldwide system.

This year’s Forum features an extensive lineup of distinguished speakers, including Varlam Ebanoidze, Head of Financial and Supervisory Technology Development Department at the National Bank of Georgia; Martin Galstyan, Governor of the Central Bank of Armenia; Armen Nurbekyan, Deputy Governor of the CBA; Eduard Hakobyan, Chairman of the State Revenue Committee (SRC); Arusyak Mirzakhanyan, Director of the SRC Training Center, Ruben Simonyan, Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of Armenia, Karen Mkoyan, CEO of imID, Laura Aydinyan, Head of Interoperability and Data Governance at the Information Systems Agency of Armenia (ISAA), Sadyk Azimov, Vice President for Digital Transformation, Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine and others.

Annually, the Doing Digital Forum features the latest technological developments and economic trends, sharing them with the audience and creating a platform for future-oriented dialogue. Since its launch in 2023, DDF has brought together over 60 prominent speakers and more than 3,000 participants from Armenia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the UAE, Germany, Australia, and the CIS countries.

The forum is organized by SPRING PR Company, with Visa serving as the Innovation Partner, imID as the Digital Identity Partner, aeda as the Blockchain Partner and Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine as the Industrial Transformation Partner.

Read the article in: Armenian:

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Northern Europe-Baltic countries cooperation format MFA presentation

Emil Lazarian

On March 17, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Ruben Rubinyan, received the directors of the Eastern European Departments of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Northern Europe-Baltic Eight cooperation format and ambassadors accredited to Armenia.


Welcoming the guests, Ruben Rubinyan emphasized cooperation with the Nordic-Baltic countries.


Issues related to regional developments were discussed.


The guests were also interested in the process of regulating Armenia-Turkey relations.

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Armenian Bar Association Repudiates Pashinyan-Imposed Resignation of AGMI Dire

Emil Lazarian
by Contributor

 

 March 17, 2026

 

in Latest, News, Top Stories

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has gone on record to confirm that he required the termination of Dr. Edita Gzoyan as the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

Dr. Gzoyan is an expert of Armenian Genocide studies who has devoted her professional life to the vindication of historical records and who is held in the highest regard by her peers in Armenia and throughout the world. She has been a longtime collaborator of the Armenian Bar Association’s Genocide Reparations Committee and an essential ally in the Armenian Bar Association’s work under its Memorandum of Understanding with the AGMI.

According to the Prime Minister, the reason for his directive was that Dr. Gzoyan had the poise to mention Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh) to U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance during their visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex as part of their official visit to Yerevan in February. He indicated that Gzoyan’s mere reference of Artsakh to the Vice President amounted to an outrageous act of defiance requiring her dismissal from AGMI.

The Prime Minister also indicated that he found to be inexcusable Dr. Gzoyan’s gesture of gifting written literature about Artsakh’s history to her American guests and showing them nearby memorials to the victims of the Sumgait, Kirovabad and Baku pogroms of Armenians conducted by Azerbaijan in the late 1980s-early 1990s.

The historical facts and academic research surrounding Artsakh and the Pogroms of Armenians are not political issues, they are historical facts. They are facts that need to be documented and researched under the leadership of academic institutions such as the AGMI and should not be silenced or buried. Moreover, they are the cornerstones of legal rights surrounding the right of return of Artsakh citizens to their native homes, the preservation of Artsakh’s cultural and religious heritage, and the pursuit of related claims in international courts.

The Armenian Bar Association has in recent years maintained a formal working relationship with AGMI and its staff on a broad range of topics and projects. During this time, representatives of the Association have met with Dr. Gzoyan on a monthly basis and partnered with her and her team on initiatives dedicated to preserving historical truth, advancing genocide scholarship, and documenting the lived experiences of Armenians who have survived persecution.

Among the most significant initiatives is the Armenian Bar Association’s Pogroms Project. A group of the Association’s members from across the country interview Armenians who arrived in the United States as refugees from Azerbaijan, following the anti-Armenian pogroms in cities such as Sumgait, Kirovabad, and Baku. These interviews document first-hand accounts of violence, displacement, and survival. The recorded testimonies are then transmitted to AGMI for archival preservation and scholarly use so that these histories may be studied by researchers and preserved for future generations.

The Armenian Bar also supports AGMI’s academic initiatives, including its Moot Court program for teams of students from law schools in multiple countries. This program engages mostly non-Armenian students and scholars in examining legal questions related to genocide, crimes against humanity, accountability, and reparations. These collaborative programs are a testament to the vital role AGMI plays as a global center for research, documentation, and education concerning the Armenian Genocide and subsequent anti-Armenian violence.

The independence of institutions devoted to genocide research is not merely an administrative matter—it is a fundamental requirement for credible scholarship and the preservation of historical truth. Any action that appears to subject the leadership of such an institution to political pressure raises serious concerns about academic freedom and institutional integrity.

AGMI is not simply a national institution; it is a cornerstone of global genocide scholarship. Its credibility depends on the ability of its scholars and leadership to pursue historical truth free from political interference. Attempts to pressure or remove leadership for political reasons risk undermining the institution’s reputation and weakening international efforts to combat genocide denial and distortion.

The Armenian Bar Association therefore calls upon the authorities in Yerevan and the responsible governing bodies to rethink and reconsider the forced departure of the Director and that they ensure that AGMI remains independent and protected from political interference. The AGMI’s ongoing projects are of utmost importance to the preservation of Armenian history, and any political effort to derail that work is unacceptable. The safeguarding of historical memory—particularly concerning genocide and crimes against humanity—must remain beyond the reach of short-term political considerations.

In light of these developments, the Armenian Bar Association joins the growing number of scholars and experts who have raised alarm.

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RFE/RL – EU To Send Hybrid Rapid Response Team To Armenia Ahead Of Elections

Emil Lazarian
March 17, 2026


EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (file photo)

The European Union will deploy a Hybrid Rapid Response Team to Armenia ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections as part of a broader effort to counter foreign interference, the 27-nation bloc’s top diplomat said on March 16.

“Following the request from Armenia, the EU will deploy a Hybrid Rapid Response Team to help counter the threats ahead of the country’s elections,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told a press conference after a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.

“Supporting democratic resilience in our neighborhood remains essential. We will not leave Armenia to face foreign interference alone. Democracies under pressure can count on Europe,” she added.

RFE/RL’s Armenian Service had earlier reported that the EU was considering such a deployment following a request from Yerevan outlined in a letter by Armenia’s foreign minister seen by RFE/RL.

The EU first announced in December that it was preparing to allocate 12 million euros (about $13.8 million) to Armenia to help it “counter Russian disinformation ahead of the elections.” Kallas later said that the assistance had been requested by the Armenian government.

According to a document seen by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, the EU will deploy a team of between 9-14 experts in Armenia in late March/early April for the duration of 10-15 working days to help Yerevan counter hybrid threats and Foreign Interference and Manipulation of Information (FIMI).

The team will provide advice to the offices of the Armenian Prime Minister and the Security Council “on crisis management plans” and support “in shaping future crisis management protocols, including on cyber and FIMI.” The Central Election Commission, the Interior Ministry, and tax authorities will also be among the beneficiaries of the assistance.

The EU believes that Armenia has been facing “intense hybrid activities, with concerns over an intensification of actions taken by adversaries to undermine democratic institutions, processes and societal trust.”

“These threats are highly likely to escalate further in the run up to the elections on 7 June 2026,” the document approved by the Council of the European Union states.

The document makes it clear that Armenia appealed to the EU last November, after which an assessment mission was organized in January, and that “these efforts provided valuable insights into the country’s vulnerabilities to hybrid threats.” It does not mention specific examples.

The planned deployment has drawn criticism from Armenia’s opposition, which has described the move as interference in the country’s domestic political affairs.

Russia has also criticized the EU’s plans. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, claimed earlier this month that the EU was gearing up for a repeat of “the Moldovan scenario” in Armenia.

The EU previously sent a similar mission to Moldova during parliamentary elections held there last September. In those elections, two opposition parties described as pro-Russian were barred from running, while authorities reportedly blocked Russian or pro-Russian websites accused of spreading election-related disinformation.

Armenian officials have rejected the criticism, saying the request for EU assistance is intended to ensure the proper conduct of the elections rather than influence their outcome.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s ruling Civil Contract Party is seeking to retain its strong majority in parliament in the elections scheduled for June 7. Several opposition groups, including the newly established Strong Armenia party led by Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetian, say they aim to unseat the ruling party and form the next government.

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